A new catalogue celebrates the collection of Hackney-based art and antiques dealer M.Goldstein, and features photographs, sketches and objects from all corners of the world
Spiritual emblems, offbeat trinkets, and flamboyant, intricate artworks: east London’s M. Goldstein is a treasure trove of secrets. The art and antiques dealer has become a celebrated Shoreditch institution, doubling up as both a gallery and a vendor for “original” objects of “natural beauty”.
“I have been going to M. Goldstein since I first came to London,” says art director Simon B Mørch, who edited the Alister Mackie-curated Document featured in the Autumn/Winter 2020 issue of AnOther Magazine. After becoming a fan of the shop, he decided to collaborate with its owner, Nathaniel Lee-Jones, creating a special catalogue and gallery show dedicated to the M. Goldstein collection. “I find the antiques Nathaniel acquires, and the way he displays them, very appealing. They almost become contemporary art objects.”
The catalogue, titled To Have And To Hold, is the debut publication from Mørch. It is being released through his new gallery project, SBM Catalogues, and will be the first in a long line of similar projects. His goal is to release limited-edition catalogues based around specific themes, and accompany them with real-life curated showrooms.
To Have And To Hold is catalogue one, and focuses specifically on the theme of life cycles. “Traditional and nontraditional paintings and still-life photography are the main references,” the art director explains. “It was very much inspired by both M.Goldstein’s collection, and also the fact that antiques naturally falls into this category.”
Inside the catalogue are photographs, art and objects taken from all corners of the world, whether that’s the “wilds of northern England” or the “streets of Mexico City”. All have been selected from the M.Goldstein collection, with Lee-Jones on board as both a collaborator and curator. Featured artists include Jasmine Bertucci, William Waterworth and Charlie Gosling.
“I am very interested in antiques and collecting so found this a very natural starting point for the Catalogue project,” Mørch says. “I like the idea that the publication is a beautiful object in itself, but you can also experience the collection in a physical space.”
And as for catalogue two, it’s already on the way: “I think it can take many shapes and hopefully gives us the opportunity to work with different industries in different capacities,” he says, finally. “I like the idea that this can become something completely different next time.”
The To Have And To Hold collection is on show at M.Goldstein from December 10-24 2020. For more details, or to purchase the catalogue, visit the official website.